lmost his blade was at the marshal's throat, and but for the crossed
partisans of two guards who stood on either side of de Retz, he had died
there and then by the dagger of William Douglas. As it was, the youth
was brought to a stand with his breast pressed vainly against the steel
points, and paused there crying out in fury, "Liar and toad! Come out
from behind these varlets that I may slay thee with my hand."

A score of men-at-arms approached from behind, and forced the young
man back to his place.

"Bring in the Lady Sybilla," said the marshal, still smiling, while
the judges sat silent and afraid at the anger of one man.

And even while the Earl stood panting after his outburst of furious
anger, they opened the door at the back of the dais and through it
there entered the Lady Sybilla. Instantly the eyes of William Douglas
fixed themselves upon her, but she did not raise hers nor look at him.
She stood at the farther side at the edge of the dais, her hands
joined in front of her, and her hair streamed down her back and fell
in waves over her white dress.

An angel of light coming through the open door of heaven could not
have appeared more innocent and pure.

The Marshal de Retz turned towards his sister-in-law, and, with his
eyes fixed upon hers and with the same pitiless chill in them, he said
in a low tone, "Look at me."

The girl raised her eyes slowly, and, as it had been, reluctantly, and
in them, instead of the meek calm of an angel, there appeared the
terror and dismay of a lost soul that listens to its doom.

"Sybilla," hissed rather than spoke de Retz, "is
it true that ever since by the lakeside of Carlinwark you met the Earl
of Douglas you have deceived him and sought his doom?"

"I care not to hear the answer," said the young man, "even did I
believe that which you by your power may compel her to say. Unfaith in
another is not unfaith in me. I am bound to this lady in love and
honour--aye, even unto death, if that be her will!"

"I have, indeed, deceived him!" replied the girl, slowly, the words
seeming to be forced from her one by one.

"You hear, William of Douglas!" said the marshal, turning upon the
young man, who stood still and motionless, never taking his eyes off
the slender figure in white.

The marshal continued his pitiless questioning.

"At Castle Thrieve you persuaded him to follow you to Crichton and
afterwards to Edinburgh, knowing well that you brought him to his
death."